Introducing IMPAKT Sidehacks - An Interview With Greyboy & Truly Odd About The Unorthodox New Company
FatTony
- November 24 2009
- 29 comments
*Click on page two of this article to see a complete bike check of Greyboy and Truly Odd’s custom sidehack built from a Sunday Second Wave frame.
*Click on page three of this article to get some background info on Greyboy and Truly Odd and their sidehack riding by reading the interview we did with them in Ride BMX issue 155.
Interview and photos by Fat.
In issue 155 of our magazine we did an interview with two well-known DJs that have an unusual love for sidehack riding. Well now the two have teamed up with a few other partners and have started a whole sidehack company. Since the bikes will be available through Walmart on December 8th we hit them up for some scoop on the company, some photos of them shredding the bikes, and for an in depth look at their custom hack with a complete bike check. Read on…
Through the power of Twitter I recently noticed a feed for IMPAKT sidehacks. I clicked on the link and then saw that IMPAKT actually had a Web site up where they were advertising complete sidehacks for sale. I wanted to get to the bottom of the company, and low and behold, Greyboy and Truly Odd were at the helm of it. So I hit them up to learn more about the rather unorthodox new BMX company. After getting some answers from Greyboy I decided to meet up with them for a little photo shoot to get some images to go along with the interview. That’s where I really began to understand what these guys and their company is all about.
If you think the monkey “just sits there,” then think again… Truly Odd helping get a good push start.
In issue 155 of Ride we did an interview with you guys about your love for sidehacks. How did that passion for hacks turn into wanting to get them out to the masses?
We actually started by wanting to sell them U.S. made, and in small batches. But after shooting the Fantasy Factory episode, Rob Dyrdek asked us if we would be interested in possibly having them mass-produced and sold at Walmart. Initially we were skeptical, but after really thinking about it, we realized that if we wanted to get this sidehack thing going, we needed to make them affordable and widely available. And Walmart is both of those things. Were hoping that people will see that the IMPAKT “Standard” is a solid, entry-level sidehack that almost anybody can afford.
Explain the two lines of sidehacks IMPAKT will have.
The IMPAKT “Standard”, mass-produced in china, will retail at Walmart for $259.00 complete. Then the IMPAKT “Elite”, which incorporates the Sunday 2nd wave frame, super dialed sidecar design, full 4130, and is fabricated in the U.S. will retail in the $8-900.00 range for just the bare frame and sidecar.
This is the “Standard” model complete hack that will be available in select Walmart stores and through the Walmart Web site on December 8th.
Who all is involved with the company?
Me, Truly Odd, Rob Dyrdek [pro skateboarder], and Jeremy Larner [Dyrdek's manager and partner] are all equal partners in IMPAKT Sidehacks.
How did you guys convince an investor that a company like this would work?
We didn’t have to convince an investor because our deal with Walmart is via Hyper Bicycles. We gave them our prototype design, then they take care of everything that has to deal with the overseas manufacturing. We take care of the Web site and all its content-that’s about it.
Popping a fakie off a tall vert quarter at Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory.
How much abuse can the bikes really take? Are they more for shits and giggles around the neighborhood? Or can you really put them to the test on a track and at a skatepark?
The sample that we got from China looked great-we were totally impressed. I mean, for $259.00 complete, it’s a really good deal. You might tweak the wheels trying to jump over trashcans to flat, but otherwise, it’s a nice hack for racing, or riding at the skatepark too.
The pilot and monkey testing their height by launching into a foam pit.
Any plans to have a team of sorts or riders to represent the brand?
We are talking about putting a team together-more of an honorary type thing at this point as we don’t have any money to pay anyone, but we have a lot of real cool people in the BMX industry that are supportive of what were doing so were are going to start with some of them. Jim Bauer and Francis Delapena from Odyssey for instance…one of our first additions to the team. And I’m pretty sure Keith Mulligan and Fuzzy Hall are down too-they were killing it at the Fantasy Factory shoot.
The higher end sidehacks will have Sunday frames; why did you pick them to work with on this?
The Elite model sidehack with Sunday frame comes un-built only, but we suggest that you use Odyssey parts like we do because we dig their product and use it ourselves. It works without fail every time.
The Caruthers park in Bellflower, California has seen lots of sidehack action over the past few years… Third wheel off the ground, full hack grind around the bowled corner with plenty of speed.
What kind of questions do you get from locals when you show up to a park with the sidehack?
We were out at the Eldorado park in Long Beach yesterday and there was a bunch of young BMX heads there. They were all super stoked on sidehacks-most of them saw it on Fantasy Factory so they were somewhat familiar. That’s the usual reaction though…almost everyone seems to dig them, even just regular people that want to put there groceries in the sidecar or whatever. We always get a positive response… Except from skaters. They pretty much HATE us. No surprise there…
Jumping the Elite model over the Standard model while the So Cal sun sets behind them.
Do you think having the sidehacks on MTV’s Fantasy Factory will help them gain popularity?
We are really hoping that the Fantasy Factory episode will show more people just what sidehacks are and how fun they can be to ride. That way when they see it in the bike shop or at Walmart they might put their money down on one…we shall see. The word “sidehack” was the #1 Google trending topic after our episode premiered, so let’s hope that’s a good indication.
I’m pretty sure some kind of BMX history was made here with this first-ever launch up to feeble hack grind with a one-handed monkey.
Anything else you want to add?
Lastly, we just want to thank the some people who have helped us get to this point, we definitely could not have done it without them: Eric Anthony, Ben Ward, Jim Bauer, Rich Hirsch, Nuno Oliviera, Harrison Boyce, Rob Dyrdek, Jeremy Larner, Greg Tracy, Albert Ocampo, John Dooley, Francis Delapena, Keith Mulligan, Fuzzy Hall, Steve Brothers, and Rick Wwomey (the godfather of BMX sidehacks).
Here’s a quick video Greyboy and Truly Odd made of them riding a launch to grind box in front of Greyboy’s house…
This is an older little promo they put together earlier this year…
And here’s an edit they put together last year bombing a hill on the sidehack…
To upload photos or videos, 
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November 24th, 2009 at 10:10 am
haha thats sick
November 24th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
the skaters at the park the other day were into it… they’d seen them on rob’s show and were asking where they could get one, how much, etc.
November 24th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
looks fun welll seveties!!
November 24th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
nice
November 24th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Wow, you guys have really gone too far here. I know you guys might be down with Greyboy & Truly Odd, but this is totally whack. You've completely, and utterly lost the last shred of dignity of the magazine with this one. If Greyboy wasn't involved, would you have posted this shit company's press release? Of course not.
And of course the skater's hate you at the skatepark. If they already hate bikers because of the 'damage' issues, you think a this sidehack is going to bridge the gap? Please stay out of the skateparks with these abominations. If you want to bomb hills, fine, but please stay out of the parks.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:20 am
take it easy captain nofun
November 25th, 2009 at 12:46 am
you must have been abused as a child… to hate on someone with a bike idea is the most ludicrous thing I've ever read. If it was something that hurt you or that you stood against I would understand, but damn. You need to get a life going for yourself and retire as a full fledged skate park policeman, who skaters hate more than a dude on a bike! I know I'm a skater. If I saw a sidehack at the park I would have a blast watching them rip it up! If you can get mad and hate on them I wonder how you are with real issues. Get it together man… try a hobby of some kind!
November 25th, 2009 at 12:58 am
yea! take it easy captain no fun! hahaaha….those are some harsh words! honestly though, we dont 'damage' skateparks, thats not why skaters dont like us, they just dont like bikes, period. we use one peg, which is plastic, and the tubing on the bike takes ALL the damage, not the coping or skatepark itself.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Damn dude. Are you an official member of the "NO FUN POLICE"? You sad sack. Someone has a flat spot in their life.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:01 am
no one else said it but FlatSpots, ur a fucking faggot. ridin is all about having fun and experimenting with different ideas. so, go get laid or something
November 25th, 2009 at 3:01 am
no one else said it but FlatSpots, ur a fucking faggot. ridin is all about having fun and experimenting with different ideas. so, go get laid or something
November 25th, 2009 at 6:22 am
Greyboy & others the sidehack is very cool no matter what any of the hater says. Good luck Walmart will blow it up. I will ride one.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Sorry guys, I raped him when he was four. It's grown him into somewhat of a Negative Nancy.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
i would never buy one, but if someone at a park had it i would want to ride it soooo bad!
November 25th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
with the "standard" model..wats with the gooseneck style stem? no 1 1/8
November 26th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
oddly enough rob refuses entry of bikes to the dc plaza. i actually confronted him in ohio before the opening of the first plaza there. he flipped out about it, understandably though because a few of the locals went in and did intentional damage due to a rumor of no bikes. either way to be involved in the profit from it and not treat it equally is some what hypocritical. but the side hack is the shit!
November 28th, 2009 at 7:21 am
The size and turning radius of this vehicle must be totally unconducive to any type of skatepark riding… I imagine these would cause a bit of a nightmare on City streets as well.
however in the a limited setting they could potentially be used properly - a 4x track or bmx racetrack.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
fuck u dude they are just 4 fun u dont have to throw a hissy fit just because u dont like u faget get a life and dont talk shit
November 28th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
fuck those damn woodpushers
November 28th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
im getting one. i dont care. i will buy one. unless the standerd has like a standerd headset and shit. but i got good parts i could put on it.
November 28th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
i guess if he owns it he can do whatever the fuck he wants with it. its just fucked up that public parks discriminate.
November 28th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
i'm buying one for my three little brothers. i wish i thought of this. any company that sells shit at walmart makes bank.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:34 am
I just don't get one thing about the hackcheck.
Why would you write that seatpost and headset are Odyssey's if when scrolling through photos you can clearly see they're United and FSA?
I now it doesn't really matters, it's all the same shit whichever company "made" it, but still, I feel a bit stupid, you know, being lied in the eye.
It only increases the feeling that this "project" isn't done with proper "true love for BMX" policy. MTV + Walmart + 260$ china made Hyper bike - that alone doesn't look to cool in my eyes and the "Oh shit, We're sponsored by Odyssey so We better write/lie it's all Odyssey's parts in the bikecheck" approach only makes it worse.
But, well, yeah, have fun there.
December 1st, 2009 at 3:11 am
lols woodpushers f'em , flatspot you captain nofun basturd lols , ihope you break your leg kickflipping fagget
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:49 pm
just for the record….i personally made the mistake on the post and headset, my bad….there wasnt any intention to mislead anyone.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:01 am
one of the most retarded ideas i have ever seen
December 17th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
"one of the most retarded ideas i have ever seen"
January 5th, 2010 at 12:36 am
i love that bike
February 5th, 2010 at 10:30 pm
i would love to own one of these bikes,i havnt rode bmx in 5 years and summer is coming up here in ohio and im looking to get back in it.
the only thing thats stopping me from the side hack is.. that its sooo exspensive!!
iv seen walmart has one for 274$ but all bike from walmart are junk..been there done that..
if i were to get side hack id just break down and save up for the real deal.i am supposed to be getting my tax's back soon so maybe i can get one!!
but if anything i just go out and get me another haro backtrail and stick with the 2 wheels.